Norway's Atlantic Road: Seen as the most dangerous and beautiful road ever made.

The Atlantic Road, a 5.2-mile segment of County Road 64 in Norway, consists of several causeways, seven bridges, and four viewpoints to take in the ocean views. Known as Atlanterhavsveien in Norwegian, it is one of the most scenic routes in the world. 

The curvy road dips and arches over the brutal Norwegian Sea as it winds its way across an archipelago of tiny islands connecting the communes of Eide and Averoy. During construction, the road was subjected to 12 hurricanes. 

Driving along the Atlantic Road is like teetering on the edge of the sea. Waves crash over the pavement during storms. The road's rollar coaster feel, curvy bridges and phenomenal views have made it a favorite of road trippers and motorcyclists. It was also deemed a Cultural Heritage Site, and was awarded the title, "Norwegian Construction of the Century."

Source: Slate's Blog and Youtube.

8 GOOD REASONS TO TRAVEL ALONE

Most of us would prefer to travel with friends or families. But little did we know that there are actually advantages that we can get when we decide to travel alone. Here are they:

1. Do not compromise. If you travel alone, you shouldn’t be torn between your personal desires and the partner’s wishes. Do you want, for example, to visit the best exhibitions? Or perhaps to sit in a pub all night long? It is really up to you to decide! Wake up and go for a short or even long walk when you indeed want to, go only to the objects that you are definitely interested in!

2. Yоu dоn’t need to wait for anyone. Of course, all of us have our life speed, one can get up rather early in the morning and it takes him or her 10 minutes to be ready, for others even 2 hours wоn’t be enough. Someone likes to come to the airport some time before, and someone dоesn’t want to waste time which could be used for visiting some museums. Traveling alone, you wоn’t have to wait as well as to be in a constant  hurry.

3. You can immerse yourself into the surrounding atmosphere. When yоu’re traveling with friends, usually you don’t notice half of the fun, because some of your attention is taken by conversation. Being alone, you are completely dissolved in the new location, so yоu’re able to hear and to see everything. Because of this, you’ll get more vivid memories of the places you have visited.

4. You can sort out all your thoughts. Sometimes you’re getting tired of the constant bustle, so all you need indeed is just to be alone and to think about your life. The week full of meditation, focusing on the environment, unfamiliar territory and beautiful views will refresh perception.

5. It will be еasier to meet some new people. Staying at a hotel or hostel, sitting in a cafe with a cup of white coffee or green tea or going for a pleasant walk in the park, you will definitely be surrounded by plenty of people. And if yоu’re traveling alone, you’ll be more open to them.

6.  Traveling alone allows you to live spontaneously. The bus schedule was changed? The flight was canceled? The reservation was lost? Reаlly it isn’t a problem! Remember that the most vivid impressions are usually got in the moments when something goes a bit wrong. So dоn’t worry!

7.  You will become braver and more independent. Traveling in the company, you can always count on each other. Traveling alone, only you’re responsible yourselves for everything. You will learn how to plan properly and be responsible for your action consequences. And yоu’ll have to look for a solution on your own.

8. Yоu’ll learn what you can do. During a solo trip you will open the hidden features of your character. You’ll gain invaluable experience, meet some new people and believe in yourselves. And whеn you come back, you will realize what a great way you have done.

Introducing Pakistan: Unlikely place to visit but surely the most surprisingly beautiful

Pakistan has been on the brink of being tourism's ‘next big thing’ for more years than we care to remember. It’s a destination that has so much to offer visitors; drive the Karakoram Highway through the endless peaks of the Karakoram Mountains, or wander through the architectural glories of the former Mughal capital Lahore, the ancient bazaars of Quetta or the cosmopolitan streets of Karachi. But every time the country seems to be gearing up to refresh the palates of travellers jaded with last year’s hip destination, world media headlines send things off the rails – again. No matter the attractions, tourism in Pakistan has always been something of a hard sell. A glance at the map shows the country living in a pretty difficult region: always-unruly Afghanistan to one side, Iran to another, and a border with India running through the 60-year-old fault line of Kashmir. But since the events of 9/11, Western pundits have increasingly been wondering if Pakistan isn’t just living in a tough neighbourhood, it is the tough neighbourhood.

Pakistan and political stability have never been particularly happy bedfellows. President Pervez Musharraf, who seized power in a 1999 coup, looked to have an unassailable position until relatively recently. Selling himself as a bulwark against radical Islamism on one hand and the old corrupt elites on the other, he turned himself into a key player in Washington’s ‘War on Terror’ and was rewarded with soft loans and military aid. In 2007, everything was thrown into disorder. An attempt to sack the country’s chief justice resulted in a red-faced retreat in the face of middle- class protests. At the same time, domestic Islamists stepped up their bloody campaigns in the wake of the deadly storming of Islamabad’s Red Mosque. Pakistan’s army had already found itself fighting to a standstill in the lawless Tribal Areas along the Afghan border, and later quelling related violence in the Swat Valley. It signed the short-lived Waziristan Compact that negotiated a peace – of sorts – with Pakistani Taliban, but ultimately showed that having once given official government sanction to such radicals, it was now holding a tiger by its tail.

It was anyone’s guess how Musharraf’s attempts to pull things together would play. The imposition of a state of emergency curtailed the press and judiciary, and soon after being lifted, the country was rocked by the assassination of Benazir Bhutto, recently returned from exile to take her place again in Pakistani politics. Such a high profile murder presaged a potentially very troubled future for Pakistan. But against this background, there is another Pakistan, a world away from the headlines. Although conservative, Pakistanis are by nature a welcoming and hospitable people to foreigners, trying to get by in the face of indifference from their government and occasional hostility from the outside world. High politics is of less interest than jobs and the cost of cooking oil and flour. As such, travellers are usually met with genuine interest and enthusiasm. The scams and hustle you might experience in heavily travelled India are nowhere to be seen here. Instead, look forward to spontaneously offered cups of tea and conversations about cricket. You’ll feel like you have the country to yourself. Attractions that would have been splashed over the glossy pages of newspaper travel supplements are almost empty. While enthusiastic travel advice comes tinged with official government travel advisories, you’ll need to keep one eye on the news before booking your ticket – but once here, you’ll realise that Pakistan really is one of the world’s best-kept travel secrets.

                 SOURCE: http://www.lonelyplanet.com/pakistan#ixzz3NDUCF32K

                      (click the link above to see the complete guide on visiting Pakistan)

SHAH FAISAL MOSQUE, ISLAMABAD

LAHORE FORT, LAHORE

BADSHAHI MOSQUE, LAHORE

Schengen visa application. ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW.

Schengen Visa Application Requirements

When applying for a Schengen Visa in order to travel to one or more of the Schengen Zone countries there are some requirements one has to establish prior to the application. If you are planning to travel to more than one Schengen country its best if you apply in the Embassy/ Consulate of the country you will be staying at the most, regarding the residing days. Once you are issued a multiple entry visa you are able to travel to all of the Schengen Zone countries for the time permitted on the visa.

When applying for the visa you should bear in mind that you have to personally hand the required documents once you’ve made an appointment at the embassy/consulate. It is always recommendable to arrange the appointment at least 15 days prior to your departure since that is the estimated time needed for the bureaucratic process taking part in the corresponding institution.

Every Schengen country shares more or less the same requirements into issuing a visa to the needy party. However there are slim differences here and there, depending on the consulate/embassy on the required documents additional to the main identification papers and your current economic status. If you want to know the requirements for each Schengen Country, you may scroll down to the bottom of this page.

A unified exemplar of the requested documents with the additional information is meticulously described and listed below:

1. The application form must be fully completed and signed in the corresponding blanks.
2. One photo is to be attached; the photo must have a passport format, full-face capture, and a light background. The photo must be recently taken.
3. The passport as well as all the copies of your previous visas, valid for at least 3 months prior to your departure is required. The passport must have at least two blank pages.
4. One must have a copy of the reservation of the return ticket for the time intended to be travelling. It is not recommendable to buy the ticket before getting the visa, if not necessary.
5. The travel medical insurance policy is to be secured, covering any medical emergency with hospital care and travel back to ones native country due to medical motives. This health insurance policy has to cover expenses up to 30,000 euros, the sum depending on the residing days, and also it has to be valid in all Schengen countries. The health insurance policy must be purchased before picking up the visa and in your visa is refused you can cancel it!

Alert, for a minor there are a few additional documents requested by the corresponding institution stated as following:

• The minors birth certificate
• The application form has to be signed by both parents
• In cases where one parent has full custody over the child, the family court order has to be attached.
• The notarized parental authorization signed by both parents or guardians is attached if the minor is to be travelling alone.

Apart from all the aforementioned documents when applying for a Schengen visa, depending on the type of visa you are seeking there are several additional documents that need to be attached. Below you will find the information about all the additional documents needed for any type of Schengen visa separately.

Airport transit visa

• A valid visa (if needed) for the final country one is travelling to.
• The ticket for the final country you are travelling to.

Transit visa

• A valid visa (if needed) for the final country one is travelling to.
• The ticket for the final country you are travelling to.

Tourist visa (Visiting friends or relatives)

• The current bank statement (preferably for the last 6 months)

In case one doesn’t have a bank account or doesn’t own enough funds to be taking care of their expenses during this travel, one must ask the visiting friends or relatives to sign an “official affidavit of support” at the corresponding office in his/her place of residence. Make sure you carry the original document when applying for the visa.

• The applicant description of their trip, the purpose of travelling, the time frame and all the personal date written down in a letter.
• In case of first time travelers, one must submit also:

1. Income tax returns for the last three years
2. Appointment letter
3. Proof of legal entity of the company

• A reference letter from the employer
• In case the applicant is the owner of the company he/she is working for, the business registration, tax returns and the latest bank statement is to be attached.
• The plane ticket reservation (One shall buy the ticket after getting the visa, as recommended).
• Other documents, specified by the visa type

Visiting relatives/friends

• If the applicant declares that he/she will be covering all the travel expenses, proof of one’s financial status is requested otherwise if the relative/friend is to cover the applicants expenses, a formal document issued by the competent authorities to a resident of a Schengen country (the friend/relative in this case) is to be submitted.
• The formal invitation by the relative/friend residing in a Schengen country.
• If the applicant will be covering the expenses on his/her own, the relatives/friends name, address and the copy of their passport will suffice. In case that the friend/relative is not a citizen of this Schengen country, the copy of the residency permit will also be required.

Tourist travel (no visit to any relatives/friends)

• The applicants bank statement (preferably for the last 6 months)
• The detailed itinerary of the traveling days in the Schengen Zone, hotel reservations or a formal invitation letter by a resident of a Schengen country.

Business travel purpose

• A cover letter explaining the purpose of the visit to the Schengen country
• A short profile of the applicants working place  (company/organization)
• Memorandum and Article of Association in original certified copy (registered with joint stock companies)/ Trade License (first issued and present renewal)/ Proprietorship/Partnership documents.
• Current bank statements
• A letter from ones employer meticulously describing the purpose of the travel as well as the itinerary of the days spend within the Schengen zone.
• The invitation letter from the partner company in the Schengen zone, faxed also to the corresponding consulate. This letter has to appear as an invitation to attend meetings or other relevant events matching trade, industry or work.
• Regarding the applicants expenses, it must be stated either in the employer’s letter or the partner company’s invitation that one of both parties will be covering the applicants travel expenses during his/her stay in the Schengen Zone.
• Hotel and plane ticket reservations
• If there were previous trade relations between the two companies proof of such an event.

Travelling for training purposes

•  A certificate of enrollment at a eligible institute for the courses one will be attending in the Schengen country.

Other travel purposes/Short term (Trips for an event of any reasonable nature)

• The letter of invitation for the applicant
• The entry ticket (if any)
• In case of enrolling into a program, the meticulous description of the applicants residence in the Schengen zone, an itinerary.  Also a document that proves the purpose of this travel.

Travelling for the purpose of studying

• For starters, two application forms are to be filled.
• The letter of acceptance in a Schengen country University/College/School
• Proof that one is able to reside and financially maintain him/herself during their stay in the Schengen zone.

Travelling for the purpose of employment

• Again, two application forms must be filled
• The employment contract between the applicant and the future employer residing in the Schengen territory.

Travelling for the purpose of permanently residing in the Schengen country due to a Schengen spouse

• Two application forms must be filled as required.
• The original certified copy of the marital certificate.
• The copy of the spouse’s passport if a Schengen country citizen. If the spouse is not a Schengen country citizen but only lives in a Schengen country the copy of his/her residency permit is to be submitted as well.

List of the specific documents needed for each Embassy

To find a list of the specific documents needed for each Embassy, please CLICK the name of the country below.

AUSTRIA

BELGIUM

CZECH REPUBLIC

DENMARK

ESTONIA

FINLAND

FRANCE

GERMANY

GREECE

HUNGARY

ICELAND

ITALY

LATVIA

LIECHTENSTEIN

List of Visa-Free Countries you can go to using your Philippine Passport

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_requirements_for_Filipino_citizens